We have just allocated the latest monies from the Sligo Community Fund and are delighted to announce the following groups have benefited;-

North West Simon Community Sligo: One of 8 Simon Communities of Ireland and prevents homelessness in Sligo, Leitrim and Donegal. They rely heavily on fund raising to provide vital services in the North-West.

Sligo Cancer Support Centre: Offer cancer patients and their families a place of peace and hope, access to one support, counselling, holistic therapies and various workshops.

Diversity Sligo/Globe House: Provide practical and emotional support to asylum seekers/refugees whilst they are living in Direct provision in Sligo (Globe House)

Sligo Grammar Junior Girls Hockey Team: Funding received to aid preparation in representing Sligo Grammar School in an International Hockey Tournament which took place in Italy Easter 2019.

First Direct Investment into a NI Company by Two of the Largest Equity Houses in New York and London

Senior Investment Managers David Turner and Chris Wardle from Foresight are pictured with Suresh Tharma, joint CEO at 3fivetwo Group.

Northern Ireland’s largest private healthcare group, the 3fivetwo Group, has secured a multi-million pound investment from a new fund dedicated to investing in Northern Ireland.

The fund, created by US-based 57 Stars LLC and leading UK SME investor Foresight Group, will be used to provide additional capacity, including beds and laminar flow theatres, at 3fivetwo’s Kingsbridge hospitals in Belfast and Sligo.

The investment will also enable the provision of more services in imaging, orthopaedics and specialist services. such as cardiac surgery, and the expansion of medical training and optometry services through acquisition and partnership.

57 Stars, a boutique independent asset manager, is partnered in the investment with Foresight, one of UK’s longest-standing private equity investment houses, who will manage the new fund locally.

The investors, who will be seeking to support other ambitious small and medium sized businesses operating in Northern Ireland, will be taking a minority stake in 3fivetwo Group and both funds will be represented on the board of directors.

3fivetwo is the only private healthcare group on the island of Ireland to have hospitals in both Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland, as well as a presence in London.

Suresh Tharma, joint CEO, said: “57 Stars and Foresight believe in our vision and support our aspiration to be a world leading healthcare company. We realised that our goals were aligned from an early stage and we are immensely proud of the faith they have shown in us.

“They want to make a return on their investment for their investors, naturally, but they also want to make a difference to the lives of the people of Ireland in the process. Our plans are ambitious and set a path for achieving both objectives.”

Bernard C. McGuire Jr, Managing Director of 57 Stars, said: “As the private healthcare leader in Northern Ireland, 3fivetwo has built an institutional foundation for the future and is well positioned to complement the public healthcare sector as part of the solution for long hospital waiting lists.

“3fivetwo boasts a high-quality management team and a company-wide focus on service delivery to patients and 57 Stars is excited to be making a long-term growth equity investment to further enhance the Group’s capabilities and enable it to take advantage of multiple new opportunities.”

Chris Wardle, Senior Investment Manager at Foresight, said: “3fivetwo Group has a unique proposition with an entrepreneurial management team who have proven their ability to identify and address exciting opportunities, while improving the lives of thousands.

“Foresight has a long history of regional investing in the UK and Ireland to support SMEs to achieve ambitious goals and our new partnership with 57 Stars helps us continue to do this in the dynamic Northern Irish market.

“The new fund will be targeting both growth capital and majority stake investments in businesses with a material presence in the region, primarily supporting companies that generate EBITDA in excess of £1m.”

The transaction was brokered by corporate finance experts HNH Group. Director Craig Holmes said they were delighted to act for 57 Stars on the transaction, which connects US funding to one of Northern Ireland’s leading companies and is a significant development for the local market.

“Attracting US investment into a NI-based Company indicates further confidence in our local private sector and talent pool,” he said. “This investment will strategically enhance 3fivetwo’s offering and fund further growth opportunities across their markets.”

Ashok Songra, joint CEO of 3fivetwo Group, added: “Our ambitions are to extend our reach by providing 5-star medical services beyond this island to the rest of the UK and other parts of the world.

“57 Stars and Foresight are ideally placed to assist with the scaling up of our business and to open new opportunities which will help us exceed our goals. We have bonded very quickly as a team and look forward immensely to the journey ahead.”

Adrian Doran, Head of Corporate Banking for Barclays in Northern Ireland, said: “We have been 3fivetwo’s banking partners since 2011 and we are excited by the prospect of the next stage of their development.

“Attracting a multi-million-pound investment from a prestigious US fund such as 57 Stars, together with on the ground support from one of the UK’s leading private equity firms, gives a tremendous platform for future growth.”

Our next fundraising event has just been announced and we are inviting you to a special viewing of Disney’s Frozen which includes Olaf’s Adventure!

The screening takes place on Saturday 25th November at the Omniplex right here in Sligo.

To book your tickets please contact us on 0861451166.

We look forward to seeing you there.

The Kingsbridge Private Hospital Sligo Community Fund has been created to provide funding for local charities, clubs and initiatives. The community fund was established in 2016 through the support of the people of Sligo and surrounding area and to date it has helped a wide range of local causes across the region including:

The groan of the radiator, a drip-drip of the tap downstairs, mumbles and bangs from the washing machine, and of course the throaty roar coming from your partner next to you as they snore the night away.

All these things can keep us up into the wee hours of the morning but not all of them have to remain a problem. Yes, the living room sofa has been a solution in the past, the bad back worth the extra few hours without the incessant croak and grumble in your ear, but your back is getting worse and so is the snoring.

Sleep apnoea is the biggest cause of a bad night’s sleep for people across the country, and is a problem which affects partners of the sufferer as much as themselves. It is caused when not enough air can reach the lungs due to an obstruction in the throat. In most cases this leads to snoring but in more severe cases it can lead to being woken up many times during the night due to shortness of breath or falling asleep during the middle of the day.

Thousands of people in Ireland suffer from the condition and it is important to see a specialist to see how you can avoid it getting worse how to clean up your sleeping patterns to avoid any other issues.

At the 3fivetwo Group we understand the importance of a good night’s sleep; from increasing mood, energy and brain power, to aiding digestion and weight–loss, sleep is key to so many aspects of our life and making sure our body functions efficiently. Which is why we are proud to offer a range of treatments for a number of different sleep related issues at our Sleep Clinic at Kingsbridge Private Hospital Sligo:

• A special night mouth-guard which gently pushes the jaw forward to avoid throat obstruction.
• CPAP Device – A mask which enables the flow of air through the lungs and respiratory tract to avoid obstruction.
• Weight and Lifestyle Management is available with one of our specialists who will guide you through lifestyle and diet changes to aid better sleeping patterns.
• Surgery is an option, but is only needed for the most serious of cases.

For more information on the National Sleep Clinic at Kingsbridge Private Hospital Sligo please visit our webpage or call 071-9162649.

Special Olympics, founded in 1968, is the world’s largest sports organisation for children and adults with intellectual disabilities, providing year-round training and competitions to more than 5.3 million athletes and Unified Sports partners in nearly 170 countries.

Special Olympics Ireland currently has almost 9,100 registered athletes participating in 14 sports from skiing and kayaking to gymnastics and athletics.

In 2017 Team Ireland’s largest ever delegation for a Special Olympics World Winter Games has departed from Dublin Airport for the 2017 games in Austria with a 26-stong squad.

Kingsbridge Private Hospital Sligo has submitted money from their charity fund to a number of local charities and initiatives to support projects across the region.

A total of €5,000 has been donated, which was raised from events such as The Kingsbridge Private Hospital Sligo Charity Ball last year. The beneficiaries are seven different organisations who are important to the community, which include; Sooey National School Band,

The money will go towards helping several projects like Sligo Tidy Towns in supplying street furniture and sculptures to improve the aesthetic of Sligo for locals and visitors alike. Local sports teams will benefit as new dug-outs will be erected at the sports pitch in Ballygawley, whilst horse riders from Special Olympics Connaught will receive new head gear for improved safety.

Special Olympics Connaught provides year round sports training to 1300 adults and children with intellectual disabilities across Ireland, including Sligo, and is part of Special Olympics Ireland. Whilst Sligo Tidy Towns plays a big part in sport in the area as unpaid volunteers help keep pitches and facilities clean and the town was names European Town of Sport in 2014.

Local art institutions and students will also benefit as a new theatre loop system will be installed for the hard of hearing and The Sooey School band will purchase new music stand banners.

Mr. Mark Towey, CEO of Kingsbridge Private Hospital Sligo, says the fund has been a huge success since it was established last year and hopes it continues in the same vein, “We are so proud to be able to help the local community and be part of projects that do so much good.”

“We aim to try help many different types of organisations and it has certainly helped cement Kingsbridge Private Hospital’s place in the region and we hope to be able to continue this work for many years to come in Sligo.”

These donations were the last of the €15,082 that was raised at last year’s Charity Ball and plans are currently in place to organise more fundraising events for the 2018 fund.

We are keen to encourage others in the local area to apply for funding and we also welcome those who can help us with additional fundraising activities.